San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-24

gIrl-goOd shoulders-good figurei'
when | had given him some few
minutes to admire my charms, took
the glass from his hand, quickly brewed
him fresh drink, and then told him to
taste it, and tell me who | was.
when he had taken long and care
full sip, he answered, why, this is
Fortescues punch! Come nearer, child;
kneel down. Ay, and you are FOrtes-
cues daughter! You have just poor
Franks saucy blue eyesl Well, why are
you here? thought some aunt had got
you to take care of. am sure | don't
want any women here, though you are
very pretty, my dear!"
Not needing his flattery, told him
the truth as regards whose custody
was in, but fear flbbed slightly as to
the Abbey, for | informed him that
nothing but intense anxiety for his
health had made me penetrate these
northern wilds.
The old dear swallowed the iib, and
from that instant we were fast friends.
ousted old Mother Baily from her
companion, and to confess the truth
really do love him now, for himself,
and not for his belongings, and would
not have left him had it not been for
your piteOus letter, begging me to come
to you.
so much for being a first-rate punch
mixer" continued Bella, gaily; but as
you may suppose, having got into his
good graces myself, was anxious for
Charlie to follow i'll my footsteps. The
Fates befriended me; for Derring came
to stay with some people near us, and
called one day with his host, Colonel
Carlyle Clayton, bringing, at my sug-
gestion, a present of game; for you
must know dear, my old uncle likes
good things when he has not to pay for
them.
THE bait took, and Charlie still fur
ther won golden opinions by prescrib-
ing for a favOrite hound of my uncle's,
who was very ill indeed.
"Every day Derring came to see this
thriceblessed dog, and my belief is that
the naughty boy made the poor brute
worse before he made it better, in order
to come oftener. No matter; his great
attention to man or beast proved as
etiicaciOus as my rum punch had done;
for, behold one day Mr.. Dillon Grey
discovered that he could not live with
out us, and that we must both stay with
him for good and all.
"Artful Charles expressed his grief at
being obliged to go, and urged poverty
and duty, saying that if he gave up the
service he should starve.
"'Starve be bowed! l have enough
for us all!' came the delicious though
somewhat inelegant reply. Charlie here
again rendered his hearty thanks and
regrets, and mildly suggested it would
scarcely be proper for him to live in the
house entirely with so charming a
young lady as myself unless we were
united in bonds of holy matrimony.
"ThereupOn the green old fellow said
he would make me his heiress, and that
l should marry Charlie as soon as he
got his troop. We, of course, over
whelmed the old dear with thanks, but
came to the arrangement that Charlie
should rejOin his regiment at once, and
that | should stay at the Abbey.
"He has settled three thousand a-year
on me, so We shall not starve, shall we?
"Why, Cissie, l have talked you to
sleep, declared" cried Bella, as Ethel
raised a pair of suspiciOusly sleepy
looking eyes to hers.
81 do not believe you heard word
about our marriage, but Charlie shall
tell you all about it when he comes to-
morrow.
Il am tired, and 50 are you, dear.
There goes the clock tower; it's strik-
ing one, so It's Christmas morn, and be-
Iieve me, dearest, from my heart | sim
cerely wish you merry Christmas and
a happy New Year!"
Thus saying, Bella stopped and
pressed long, warm kiss on the girls
white, wan face, and left her.